Scottish football entering uncharted territory with Hearts, Hibernian and Rangers playing in the second tier

By the close of play on Monday night, the official SPFL website hadn’t yet told users not to adjust their screens. It might well have done.

In the aftermath of Hibernian’s humiliating relegation at the hands of Hamilton Accies on Sunday, Scottish football’s new landscape truly takes some getting used too.

Rangers, Hearts and now Hibs in the second tier? Frankly, anyone logging on this morning after two years trekking in the most remote corner of Tibet would be entitled to think there’s been some kind of mistake.

Long walk: Hibernian's Kevin Thomson walks back after missing his penalty as Hibernian were relegated

In reality though, the only errors that have led to this altered state have been perpetrated by the so-called custodians of the aforementioned clubs. By contrast, by cutting their cloth accordingly and keeping their nose to the grindstone, the likes of Hamilton have more than earned their place back at the top table.

It will still take some time for the eyes to adjust to the scene even once the dust is settled. Rangers’ demise and climb back towards respectability is one thing. To see them joined in the second tier by the two clubs which contested the Scottish Cup Final just two years ago is almost hallucinogenic for a nation unaccustomed to seeing the apple cart spinning in the air.

For so long the wasteland of the Scottish game, the second tier, now known as the Championship, suddenly finds itself centre stage more often than not next season. Aside from Celtic’s visits to Pittodrie and Fir Park and the odd derby skirmish, the top flight is going to have its work cut out to serve up a weekly menu as tasty as in the league below.

Hard to take: The Hibs players look shocked as they are relegated

Down and out: Despair for Lewis Stevenson as Hibernian are relegated from the Scottish Premiership

Rangers’ visits to any of the nine grounds will be box office but their trips to Easter Road and Tynecastle will be especially captivating.

And what of the Edinburgh derby? Just two months after Hibs headed across town intent on waving a not-so-fond farewell to Hearts, their fans face the humiliating prospect of a reunion in the very league to which they planned to condemn their rivals to. You really couldn’t make it up.

For a Hearts squad that’s long been preparing for life in the Championship, having some familiar faces for company is most welcome.

'It was strange to see Hibs going down the way they did,’ said Tynecastle defender Callum Paterson.

'It wasn’t good for them but it’s brilliant for us to have four derbies which will boost attendances for both clubs and the Championship will be a good league.’

Dropping down: Hearts trudge off the pitch as they are relegated from the Premiership

Big fish: Hearts will be on of the bigger clubs in the second tier

Scottish football is not completely unaccustomed to seeing its giants laid low. Dundee United were relegated in 1995, just a year after winning the Scottish Cup, while Hibs last dropped down in 1998.

Yet, on both occasions, the ghoulish intrigue that goes hand-in-hand with relegation was tempered with a realisation that, in all probability, both would bounce back at the first time of asking. Those expectations were shown to be correct.

This time around, however, there is no guaranteed return ticket. Notwithstanding fine sides like Falkirk, Raith Rovers and Dumbarton – who will all be eyeing the fourth play-off spot - only one of the three giants is guaranteed promotion.

For years, Scottish clubs have looked at the likes of Leeds and Nottingham Forest - stuck interminably in England’s second tier - and assumed that the same thing simply couldn’t happen north of the Border.

Yet could we now say for certain that if, for example, Hibs missed out on promotion a year from now, they wouldn’t suffer the same fate?

Sinking feeling: Hearts manager Gary Locke hangs his head as his side are relegated

'I think anyone who’s watched the Championship this season would agree that it’ s a very exciting, entertaining and competitive league,’ said Falkirk manager Gary Holt.

'That applied to all the teams in it. Even Morton who found themselves in bottom spot, had a real go.

'So it’s not going to be easy for anyone. There are three big fish now that are coming into it but they are going to be there to be shot at.

'If they weren’t there, the pressure would be on one of the teams from last season to win the league.

'That pressure is still there. But we’re not favourites, second favourites or even third favourites. That will be the same for Livingston, Raith, Queen of the South, Dumbarton, Alloa. We’re going to be underdogs in every game we play against the three big clubs.’

Whichever side does come out on top a year from now, they will know that they have been in a battle.

Despite their never-ending off-field woes, Rangers will start clear favourites by dint of their huge fan base and superior resources but predicting anything to do with the Ibrox club with any degree of certainty these days is a bit like nailing jelly to a wall.

On the up: Rangers' Lee McCulloch celebrates with the trophy and team mates after winning League One

Big dogs: Steven Smith and Rangers will be the big team in the Championship

Hibernian, who yesterday emptied 11 of their shamed players, will be unrecognisable from this season’s shambolic lot but no matter how justified that scything may be, wholesale changes have the propensity to go one of two ways.

Ironically, for all their very existence was on a knife-edge last month, Hearts’ will fancy their chances of stealing a march on their title rivals.

Aided by a £500,000 parachute payment (Hibs get approximately the same sum) and the financial stability that’s come from a combination of Ann Budge and the Foundation of Hearts, the Tynecastle men look well positioned to deal with what lies ahead.

The new management team of Craig Levein, Robbie Neilson and Stevie Crawford come with no guarantees but Hearts do at least have a strategy to move the club forward – something conspicuous by its absence at Ibrox and Easter Road.

'We’ve had time to reflect on this season already and we’ve appointed a new manager, a new head coach and trying to bringing in new personnel,’ Paterson added.

'It’s going to be a tough league but we can’t wait to get going. We ended the season on a massive high - except for the last couple of games - by scoring a few goals and we’re really looking forward to it. Hibs, on the other hand, aren’ t going to be happy that they’re going down.

'We’re raring to go and prepared for it. It’s going to be a massive division next season with a lot of quality games. Everyone assumes it will be two from three to go up but there’s so much quality that you can’t rule anyone out.

'Dundee went down last season and went straight back up and ourselves and Hibs will be looking to do the same. It’s going to be a fascinating league with a lot of big games and I can’t wait.

'It’s going to be well supported and good exposure for the second tier in Scottish football.

'As young Hearts boys, we’ve all played about 20 or 30 games each so we’re experienced players and need to show it.’

Amid it all, there are those who can scarcely believe their luck. Little Alloa, for example, who have spent a lifetime praying for big names to come visiting on cup business, are now circling multiple dates on their calendar.

'You are talking about pros playing for Rangers that will get more than the entire playing squads of probably three of the clubs,' said chairman Mike Mulraney.

'It’s not David and Goliath, it’s Goliath and an ant. It’s almost breathtaking in its scale but that doesn’t mean that they will have an easy ride.'